1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to hearing assistance devices such as, for example, implantable cochlear stimulation (“ICS”) systems and hearing aids.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wide variety of hearing assistance devices are available. Such devices include, but are not limited to, ICS systems and hearing aids.
ICS systems are used to help the profoundly deaf perceive a sensation of sound by directly exciting the auditory nerve with controlled impulses of electrical current. Ambient sound pressure waves are picked up by an externally worn microphone and converted to electrical signals. The electrical signals, in turn, are processed by sound processor circuitry, converted to a pulse sequence having varying pulse widths and/or amplitudes, and transmitted to an implanted receiver circuit of the ICS system. The implanted receiver circuit is connected to an implantable electrode array that has been inserted into the cochlea of the inner ear, and electrical stimulation current is applied to varying electrode combinations to create a perception of sound. A representative ICS system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,022, which is entitled “Cochlear Stimulation System Employing Behind-The-Ear Sound processor With Remote Control” and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
As alluded to above, some ICS systems include an implantable device, a sound processor, with the sound processor circuitry, and a microphone that is in communication with the sound processor circuitry. The implantable device communicates with the sound processor and, to that end, some ICS systems include a headpiece that is in communication with both the sound processor and the implantable device. The microphone may be part of the sound processor or the headpiece. In one type of ICS system, the sound processor is worn behind the ear (a “BTE sound processor”), while other types of ICS systems have a body worn sound processor unit (or “body worn sound processor”). The body worn sound processor, which is larger and heavier than a BTE sound processor, is typically worn on the user's belt or carried in the user's pocket. Examples of commercially available ICS sound processors include, but are not limited to, the Advanced Bionics Harmony™ BTE sound processor.
Hearing aids include a microphone, sound processor circuitry, and a speaker (sometimes referred to as a “receiver”). Here too, ambient sound pressure waves are picked up by the microphone and converted into electrical signals. The electrical signals, in turn, are processed by sound processor circuitry. The processed signals drive the speaker, which delivers amplified (or otherwise processed) sound pressure waves to the ear canal. Exemplary types of hearing aids include, but are not limited to, BTE hearing aids, receiver-in-canal (“RIC”) hearing aids, and in-the-canal (“ITC”) hearing aids. Examples of commercially available hearing aids include, but are not limited to, the Phonak Ambra™ hearing aid and the Phonak Naida™ hearing aid.
Hearing assistance devices typically have a user interface that includes one or more user manipulatable elements such as switches and potentiometers, which facilitate adjustments to operating parameters such program and volume. The switches and potentiometers are part of a printed circuit board that is dedicated to user interface functionality, and user interface printed circuit board is connected to the main printed circuit board of the hearing assistance device by male and female connectors on the printed circuit boards.
The present inventor has determined that conventional hearing assistance device user interfaces are susceptible to improvement. For example, conventional user interface switches and potentiometers are prone to failure, as are the printed circuit board connectors, and frequently cause hearing assistance devices to be returned to the manufacturer for repair. The present inventor has also determined that it would be desirable to make user interface components smaller as this is one way to reduce the overall size of the hearing assistance device.